Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-10-29

was done, and the deed settled upon. But
what the end of it would be none could say.
She would practically be q murderess, and
she felt sooner or later her guilt would find her
out and then she would have little mercy to
hope for. Still she had no scruples, for after
all Frank Muller's would be well merited
doom. But when all was said and done it
was a dreadful thing to be forced to steep her
hands in blood, even for Bessie's sake. II
Muller were slain Bessie would marry John,
provided John escaped from the Boers,
and be happy bat -swhat would be.
come Of herl Robbed Of her love, and
with this crime upon her mind, what
could she do, even II she escaped
except dies 1t would be better to die and
never see him again, for her sorrow and her
shame were more than she could bear. And
then she began to think Of John till all her
poor, bruised heart seemed to 60 out toward
him. Bessie cou d never love him as she did,
she felt sure of that, and yet Bessie was to have
him by her all her life, and she--she was to
60 away. Well, it was the only thing to do.
She would see thisdeed done and set her sister
free, and then il she happened to escape she
would go-go right away, where she would
never be heard of again. Then at any rate,
she would have behaved like an honorable
woman. She sat up and put her hands to
her face. It was burning hot, though she
was wet through, and chilled to the bone
with the raw damp of the night. fierce
fever OF mind and body had taken hold Of
her, worn out as she was with emotion,
hunger and protracted exposure. But her
brain was clear enough; she never remem-
bered its being so clear before. Every
thought that came into her mind seemed to
present itself with startling vividness, stand
ing out by itself against black background
of nothingness, not softened and shaded down
one into another as thoughts generally are.
She seemed to see herself wandering away
alone, utterly alone, alone foreverl-while tn
the far distance John stood holding Bessie by
the hand and gazing after her regretfully.
Well, she would write to him, since 1t must
be so, and bid him one word of farewell She
could not 60 without it. She had pencil,
and in the breast of her dress was the Boer
pass, the back Of which, stained as it was with
water, would serve the purpose Of paper.
She drew it out and, bending forward toward
the light, placed it on her knees.
"Good by" she wrote, "good byl We can
never meet again, and it Is better that we
never should, in this world. Whether there
is another do not know. II there is, I shall
wait for you there If not, then good by for
ever. Think Of me sometimes, for l have
Loved oye ysq yoS xssx assrX snS s%a s E
or any other world, and ann myself. shall
always love you and you only. Don't forget
me. never shall be really dead to You until
/ am forgotten. j."
She lifted the paper of her knee and then
put it back again and began to scribble IN
verse, quickly and almost without correction.
It was a habit of hers, though she never
showed what she wrote, and now 1t asserted
itself irresistibly and half unconsciously:
truth, t. .
Or linger in caress upon thy head.
Have rudely broke the idols Of thy youth
And cast them down amid thy treasured dead.
Remember me-
When she had got thus far she stopped, dis
satisfied, and, running her pencil through the
lines, began afresh:
IF should die tonight
Then would'st thou look upon my quiet face.
Before they laid me in my resting place, :
And deem that death had made 1t almost fair;
"And laying snow white flowers against my hair
Would st on my cold cheek tender kisses press
And fold my hands with lingering caress,
Poor hands, SO empty and so cold tonight
"If should die tonight sS f
Then wouldst thou call TO mind with loving
thought As-s sipes. N&ss,,,,..l.
Some kindly deed the Icy hands had wrought.
Some tender words the frozen lips had said,
Errands on which the willing feet had spedi
The memory OF my passion and my pride.
And every fault would sure, be set aside. ~.ska
So should be forsiveno of all tonight av-"
"peath waits on me tonight.
Zen now my summons echoes from afar,
And grave mists gather fast about my star
Think gently Of me; am travel worn. .-s.--
NV faltering feet are pierced with many thorn,
The bitter world has made my faint heart bleed
When dreanless rest Is mine shall not need
The tenderness for which long to-nightr
She stopped, apparently more because She
had got to the end Of the paper than for any
other reason, and, without even rereading
what she had written, pushed the pass bach
into her bosom and was soon lost in thought
Ten minutes later Jsntje came creeping In
to where she sat like q great snake In human
form, his yellow face shining with the rain
drops. s'st ec' - s7Ife-ir -t t"r
aWen," whispered jess, looking up with q
start, shave You done itf'- . ~'' -i5 81.
ssNo, missile, no. Baas Frank has but nov
gone to his tent He has bean talking to the
Clergyman, somsthing about Missie Bessie,
don't know what, was near, but he talked
low and Icould only hear the name.s
"Have the Boers all gone to sleepr
"All, missile, except the sentrie&"
SIs there sentry before Baas Franks tents'
aNo, missile, there is nobody near"
sWhat Is the time, Jantjes" :. =. l-'-''
sAbout three hours and half after sun
| down" Q0:SN.
@Let us wait half an hour, and then yos
must 60"
Accordingly they sat in silence. In silenc'
they sat facing each other and their owl
thoughts. Presently Jantje broke it by draw
| ing the big white handled knife and com
mencing to sharpen it on piece Of leather.
The sight made Jess feel sick. "Purth
knife up" she said, quickly; ut is sharl
enough"
Jantje obeyed with feeble grin and th
minutes passed on heavily. st
aNoU Jantia she said at lanofh sDeakin